First Day of First Grade
by Apartment 614
Summary: Sokka Kimura and Zuko Kasai were desk partners on the first day of their new school. They became instand friends. They had no way of knowing however how much their friendship would go though over the years though. Modern AU. Companion and Prequel to "Aparmtnet 614".
1. Chapter 1

**This Story is not all inclusive. It just touches on highlights that happened during the year that corresponds with the chapter. **

Sokka Kimura walked into the classroom that his father had told him. Hakoda had offered to walk him in, to show him where he needed to go but he had refused. He wanted to prove to himself and his father that he was an adult, that he could do this on his own, and most important that he was no afraid.

However, when he walked into White Lotus Academy he knew that he was in over his head. His father had worked tirelessly to get him into this school, and would have to continue working his factor job, as well as any work on the side at same time to keep him in this expensive, private school. Hakoda claimed that he wanted the best for his son and daughter, and would make sure that they had the best education possible.

Sokka felt a little better when he was out of the confused shuffle of the hall way and into the brightly decorated classroom that was to be his. It was filled with people his own age, all young, bright eyed, and looking just as scared as he was. The teacher's assistant greeted him, showing him where to put his lunch box and back pack. She also motioned him to a large desk, one of many that made up rows in the classroom. It was large enough for two students, meaning that Sokka would be having a desk mate. The thought of it made his heart beat up in his head, fear gripping him.

He located the right desk, with his name attached to it with a brightly colored name tak, and found that his desk mate was already there. "Hi my name is Sokka!" he said to the dark haired boy, much louder than he had wanted to. The boy looked up at him with a distinctly confused look in his eyes. Sokka'e eyes widened when he looked at the boy, "You're a fire bender!"

The boy just blinked, looking at him with big honey colored eyes, "Y-yeah."

"I've never meet a fire bender before!" Sokka leaned in closer to him, "Can you make some?"

The boy grinned, lifting up both of his hands up and cupping them together. In the palms of his hands was generated a small amount of flickering orange flame. Sokka smiled wide, captivated by the dancing heat. "That is the coolest thing I have ever seen before."

"I guess." The boy shrugged, cupping his hands together and putting out the flame, "My entire family are benders, including my little sister."

"You have a sister too!?"

He nodded, "My name is Zuko by the way." Zuko extended his hand, to the dark skinned boy, the one side of his lips curling up. "Zuko Kasai."

Sokka took the hand and shook it happily, "Sokka Kimura."

* * *

She was a fire bender, like he was, and she was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen. Sokka looked at her with his large, blue eyes, his jaw dropped a little bit.

"MOM!" Zuko ran to the woman in the door way. She looked like him; the same eyes, the same complexion and hair. She was all curves and giggles and she leaned down, kissing Zuko on the side of the head.

"How was your first day or school, my love?"

"It was great!" He pointed over to Sokka, "I have a new best friend!"

Ursa looked over to the boy that her first born was pointing at, a smile on her face. "Why hello there." She extended her hand to Sokka as he walked over to them both, "My name is Ursa."

Sokka walked to her, taking her hand into his and shaking it, "I-I'm Sokka."

"We have so much in common!" Zuko told her enthusiastically, "He has a little sister, just like I do, both of our dads work a lot, we like sharks and powdered sugar on our French toast!"

Ursa looked at her son with wide eyes, a smile on her face. "I see."

"The only thing is that he doesn't have a mom. I told him that if he ever needed a mom for a little while he could use you, I hope that is ok."

Ursa just looked at her son and his new friend, both with wide eyes and small smiles. She laughed, standing up, "I would be ok with that."

"COOL!" Sokka chirped, his smile widening.

"Do you have someone to pick you up, Sokka?"

He nodded, "My dad is waiting outside for me."

"I shall walk you boys out then." Ursa reached out and offered her hand to Sokka, which he took with a smile. Her other hand held Zuko's as the three of them walked out of the school. Sokka saw his father standing by his old pick up looking very anxious as he wanted for his son.

Sokka pulled away from Ursa and ran to his dad. Zuko looked up at his mother, who just smiled down at him.

"Hey, kiddo!" Hakoda kneeled down and captured his only son into a hug, lifting him off the ground a little bit before sitting him back down, "Did you have a good first day?"

"YEAH!" He motioned Zuko over to them. He let go of his mother's hand and ran over to Sokka and his father. Ursa laughed, following him. "This is my new best friend Zuko." Zuko looked at the older water tribe man and smiled, his gold eyes wide.

Hakoda just smiled, "Why hello Zuko."

Ursa caught up with Zuko, smiling down at Hakoda. He just looked up at the woman, smiling a little bit. "Oh… hello."

"Hi, you must be Sokka's dad." She extended her hand, "I'm Zuko's mom, Ursa Kasai."

Hakoda blinked in surprise when she said the last time, but took the hand none the less, "Hakoda Kimura." He smiled, nothing that both of the boys were looking up at them.

"I understand that you have a little girl?"

He nodded, "Katara. She is four."

"She is the same age of my Azula." She smiled, "We will have to arrange a play date with the four of them." Her hands were on Zuko's shoulders, a warm smile on her face.

"It would be great." Hakoda just smiled at her again.

Ursa reached into her purse, a fancy designer one like the ones that Hakoda used to see in his wife's fashion magazines. She pulled out a business card holder, opening it and offering one of the small pieces of paper to Hakoda. "Here is my card. We will set something up."

He looked at it for a second before putting it in his work short pocket, "Thanks, and yes we will." He looked down at Sokka, a smile on his face, "Come on, time to get you home."

Sokka looked at Zuko, a some what sad look in his face, "I will see you tomorrow, ok?"

Zuko just nodded, the same sad look in his eyes, "I will bring that toy shark, ok?"

Sokka nodded, smiling wide, "And I will bring that book I was telling you about."

"YEAH!" Zuko launched himself at Sokka, hugging him tight. Sokka just hugged him back, making both Hakoda and Ursa just smile.

"Come on sweetie." Ursa said with a smile when Zuko pulled away, "You two can see one another tomorrow."

Zuko looked up at her with a smile, then back at Sokka. "I will see you!"

Ursa just smiled and pulled Zuko away to the awaiting black car. Zuko just waved as Sokka as they walked away, a large smile on his face. Sokka waved back, simply excited that he had made a friend on the very first day.

* * *

"Gran Gran!" Sokka ran to his grandmother, his arms starched out.

Kanna laughed as she took him into her arms, laughing happily. "Oh my big man back from school!" She went to kiss him on the side of the head, making him squirm away from her.

"Gran Gran!" He laughed, getting himself back on the ground.

"How was your first day?" She asked with a smile.

"It was amazing! I have a best friend now and everything!"

"Oh?"

Hakoda walked into the kitchen with a smile, sitting his tool box on the table, "He sure did." He looked to his son, "Go wash up for your after school snack."

Sokka nodded and ran off, calling out for his sister. Kanna smiled at her son, "Seems like a good day."

"I'll say." He removed the business card that Ursa had given him from his pocket, showing it to his mother, "The boy's last name is Kasai."

Kana took the business card as her son told him about the amber eyed boy and his mother. "I wonder if it is the same Kasai."

"How many can their be?"

Kana shrugged, handing it back to him. "Figures. Send him to some fancy private school and he makes friends with the son of one of the richest men in the world."

Hakoda nodded, putting the card on the fridge, securing it with a magnet.

* * *

The Kasai mansion was the biggest building that Sokka could ever remember being in. He was sure that he had been in something bigger, but just could not remember it. "Where do you wanna play?" Zuko asked, pulling Sokka out of his dazed state.

"How many places are there to play?" Sokka asked, raising an eye brow as they laid their bags in the front hall way ware Ursa had told them.

"Well there is my room, the play room, the garden, the tree house…"

"YOU HAVE A TREE HOUSE!?"

Zuko just laughed, "We do." He ruffled his short dark hair.

"How about you two go play in the playroom." Ursa told them in a soft voice, sitting her purse in the hall closet. "I think your sister is up there."

Zuko just groaned, rolling his eyes, "I don't want to play with Azula."

"Zuko." Ursa scolded, "Azlua is your sister and you should make more of an effort to get along with her."

He just rolled his eyes, "Fine." Zuko motioned him towards the large stairwell. "Come on." The boys both ran up the stairs and down a long hall way. Sokka wanted to slow down, to look around and take in the decorations that covered the halls. Zuko was intent on getting them to the playroom, and as soon as they were in the room Sokka understood why.

"You have a toy store in your house?!"

Zuko just laughed, shaking his head, "No this is our play room!" He looked around the room, searching for what was supposed to be it's other inhabitant. "She must not be in here."

"Your sister?" Sokka's attention was on a large stuffed elephant that was as tall as he was.

"Yeah." Zuko shrugged, "She must be in her room or something." Sokka was still busy looking around the room at all the wonderful things that could be seen. "Wanna play with legos?"

"Um… sure." Sokka noticed for the first time a large table whose top was covered with block texture. "That is cool!"

"I know! Azula and I love to play with this. She likes to destroy all my things though." He went over to the table, opening one of the drawers beneath it and pulling out a box of multi-colored blocks. "We should make a big city!

"Ok!" The boys set to work, laughing and talking about their task at hand as well as school, discussing others in their class as well as their teacher. Before long they had a large city scape, built with many blocks in all colors. They were both ecstatic as they named the streets and buildings, making up stories as they continued to build into their city.

Zuko excused himself, saying that he had to use the bathroom. Sokka was left in the big room, which he started to explore in his friends absence. On the room there was a large playhouse painted red, black and gold. He walked over to it, noticing that there was some movement on inside. He opened the door, which was just big enough for him to walk though. When he stepped though the door he saw a little girl huddled in the corner, looking up at him with big gold eyes.

"You're Azula, aren't you?" She said nothing, but just looked up at him with the same shimmering eyes. Sokka just smiled at her, thinking that she looked like a very small version of her mother. "I'm Sokka. I'm your bothers new best friend."

"I know." She squeaked, her lightly clenched fists over her mouth, "Mommy told me you were coming."

"Why are you hiding in here?" He asked, sitting in front of her. She blushed, shrugging as she looked away. "You're really tiny." He grinned. "Even more so that my little sister Katara."

"You have a sister?" She asked quietly.

He nodded, "Yeah, she is the same age as you and everything."

Azula just nodded, taking her hands away from her mouth, "You think I'm tiny?"

Sokka nodded with a smile, "I do. I like tiny though."

"You do?" She blushed a bit.

Sokka grinned, "Tiny is nice! I like to put tiny things in my pockets!"

Azula just smiled at this, her eyes lighting up. "I would like to go in your pocket." They both just giggled at this, Azula looking as Sokka with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

"What are you two doing in there?" Zuko asked, sticking his head in the window of the small house.

"Get out!" Azula snapped at her brother, "You know you are not allowed in here."

Sokka was taken by surprise as the small girl's sudden abruptness, "Why is he not aloud in here?"

"She says that no boys are allowed."

"And they're not!" She growled.

"Then why is Sokka allowed in here?"

"He's special." She chirped, standing up.

Sokka just smiled at her, thinking how totally adorable the little girl was. He really did want to put her in his pocket.

"What about me? I'm special, I'm your brother!"

"MY STUPID BROTHER!" She yelled, hitting in his in head so that he would get out of her little window. He yelped in pain, pulling his head away. Sokka could not help but laugh as Azula closed the shutters angrily. She huffed in annoyance, sitting back down in front of Sokka with a smile. "Hi."

"Come on Sokka, lets go outside." Zuko said in an annoyed tone.

Sokka looked at the door and then looked at Azula, "Wanna come outside with us?"

Azula nodded, "Ok sure."

Sokka stood up and extended his hand to Azula, which she took with a smile. They walked hand in hand out of the house, drawing a groan from Zuko. "You guys are gross." He rolled his eyes as they all started to walk outside.

* * *

"Is this your house?" Zuko asked, looking though the window of Hakoda's old truck.

"Y-yeah." Sokka stuttered, nervous about his friend's reaction to his meager home.

"I like it." Zuko grinned, looking back at his friend.

"It's got a big back yard too! We can go out there and play."

"Awesome!"

Sokka looked at his father, smiling lightly. Hakoda just smiled back, knowing that the boy has been nervous about having Zuko over. All of those fears dissipated as soon as Zuko was inside. The boy seemed less concerned about how small his home was, and just happy that he was spending time at a friend's house. Gran Gran had fixed them an after school snack of gram crackers and juice.

Katara joined them, the blue eyed girl very talkative at the table in the little kitchen. She talked about anything and everything that came to mind. Asking Zuko all the questions that she could think of. Zuko answered them all eagerly, but it just annoyed Sokka more and more that Katara would not leave him alone.

"Come on, lets go outside." Sokka said to his friend, getting up from the table.

"You wanna come?" Zuko asked the blue eyed little girl. "We're gonna play pirates."

Katara shook her head, "I don't like to play pirates."

"Ohh…" Zuko frowned a bit.

"Come on!" Sokka grabbed Zuko's hand and pulled him out side and into the big back yard.

"Don't you wanna go out and play with Sokka and Zuko?" Kana asked Katara.

Katara just shook her head, "I hate playing pirates." She turned on his heels and went to her bedroom, pulling on her little blue skirt. Hakoda was walking into the kitchen, getting ready for work, and was a bit confused to see his daughter walking to her room.

"I wonder what her deal is."

Kana shrugged, "Zuko asked her to go play outside with them." She smiled over at her son, cleaning up from the kid's snack. "He seems very sweet."

Hakoda nodded in agreement, "Very much so. You should see his sister with Sokka, she seems to be quite taken with him."

Kana laughed, "We shall have to have her over as well then. It's nice to have the kids getting to know others."

"Tell me about it, here I was worried that he was not going to fit in at all." He smiled out the kitchen window as Sokka and Zuko were in the wood boat that Hakoda had built for his children, each or them barking orders at imaginary members of their pirate crew.

* * *

Sokka liked Lu Ten from the second he meet him. He was 16 and more fun than anyone other teenager he had ever been around. It was likely because Lu Ten reminded him of an older version of his friend.

"You ready?" Lu Ten asked him, a wide smile on his face. He was kneeling down in front of Sokka by the pool, the smell of iced tea and food on the grill heavy in the air.

"Yeeeaaaahhhhh." Sokka said though clenched teeth, "DO IT!"

Lu Ten laughed as he stood up quickly, wrapping his arms around Sokka's ribcake and locking his fingers at his back. He lifted the young boy up, Sokka laughing like mad as the teenager spun them around one, twice, three times. It was then that he leg go of Sokka, propelling him in the air and then into the clear blue water of the pool.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT ANYMORE!" His Aunt Ursa snapped at him, "YOU ARE GONNA CRACK THEIR SKULLS OPEN!"

Hakoda, who was sitting on a nearby patio chair, just laughed seeing the smile that was on both Lu Ten and Sokka's face. "He's fine Ursa."

"Really aunty. They're tough, they can handle it."

"Yeah mom!" Zuko had his arms resting on the side of the pool, looking up at his mother with his swimming goggles perched atop his head. "Lu Ten would not let anything happen to us."

"I know." She sighed, "Don't you dare do that to either of the girls though!"

"I won't I promise." Lu Ten smiled at her, that large charming smile that he was so known for.

Katara was in the pool, her small body floating atop an inflatable ring. She had on a yellow swimsuit and a large pair of sunglasses, sipping on a juice box. Hakoda smiled every time he looked at her. Being a water bender afforded her a certain amount of confidence in the water. She had been a strong swimming since she was just a few years old.

Azula was another story. She had always been afraid of the water and had never even been interested in swimming till this day, until Sokka had been going it in the large pool at her Uncle and Cousin's house. She walked out of the beach house, a purple swimsuit covering her tiny body, an oversized pair of swim goggles on her head and large water wings on her arms. She looked at the water quite confidently, standing at the edge of the pool with her clenched fists on her hips.

"You can do it Azula!" Sokka called out to her.

"YEAH!" Zuko added, "It's easy." He dunked his head under water, his hands waving above his head as he did so.

Azula nodded, knowing that if her stupid brother could do it so could she. Lu Ten came and sat by her on the edge of the pool, looking at her. "Want me to help?" She looked at him and nodded. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms holding her firmly to him. He slid into the pool, pulling her with him.

As soon as the water made contact with Azula's skin she yelped a little bit, which just made Lu Ten laugh. "Don't worry." He assured her, "I have you."

She nodded, clinging to him harder. He shifted her so that she was on his back, her arms still around his neck.

Zuko swam over to them, a smile on his face, "See Azula! It's easy!"

"GO AWAY ZUKO!" She chirped, "You're going to ruin everything!"

Sokka swam on the other side of Lu Ten, drawing Azula's gaze to him. "Not scary at all, right?"

She shook her head holding her cousin tighter, "Not scary."

Lu Ten pulled away from her letting her float behind him. He held her hands into his, pulling her in the water as he encouraged her to kick. Azula just bit her lip nervously, concentrating on her movements as she did as she was told. Ursa smiled out at them, snapping a picture with her camera as her nephew taught her daughter how to swim.

Before long Azula was confident enough to swim alone, her water wings holding her up. The boys would take turns swimming along side her, telling her that she was doing a good job. Azula would just remain concentrated, her little arms and legs kicking furiously under the water.

"Such a brave little girl." Hakoda commented to Ursa, "Not afraid of anything."

"At least not when Sokka is around." Ursa's lips curled up, "I think she can anything as long as he is doing it."

Azula swam by Katara. It was the first time that the two had really been around one another, other than just seeing one another when one of their brothers was dropped off or picked up. Katara just looked at her, then back to her juice box. Azula bumped into the inflatable ring, causing Katara to drop her juice box into the water.

"Hey! You made me drop my juice." Azula looked at her with large eyes, a frown on her face. "Are you gonna say sorry?"

"Katara, be nice to Azula." Hakoda scolded, "We will get you another juice box."

"That was the last apple juice!" Katara cried out.

"We can get more." Zuko tried to tell her.

Katara just looked annoyed at Azula, who still had no intent on saying that she was sorry or anything. Katara waved her hand in Azula's direction. She was trying just to wave her off, to more her away from her. Since Katara was still somewhere unaware of her water bending abilities, she over acted, shoving too hard and creating a decent size wave that swallowed Azula up and threw Katara from her tube.

Lu Ten, who was standing on the edge of the pool with his aunt was in the water in an instant. Even with her water wings on Azula found herself upside down under water, her tiny arms and legs kicking to try and fight for air. He wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled the gasping little girl above water.

"I'm sorry, I'm SORRY!" Katara cried, treading water next to them. It was as Lu Ten drug Azula to the edge of the pool that she started crying, her lungs releasing a tirade of screams and whimpers. Ursa was there to take her wet daughter into her arms, petting the side of her head.

"It's ok baby, mommy has you." Azula just cried in her mother's arms and Hakoda wrapped a towel around the little girl, glaring over at his daughter.

"I'm sorry!" Katara herself was crying now as she got out of the pool, looking over at the adults with her tiny counterpart.

Both Sokka and Zuko were still in the pool, watching as Ursa calmed the little girl. Eventually Azula calmed down, but was still shaking in her mother's arms. Lu Ten had gone back to playing with the boys and Katara in the pool, always aware of the little girl by the edge of the pool.

Azula did not go back in the water that day. In fact she did not go back in the water at all from that day forward, unless Lu Ten and Sokka were there and Katara was not.

* * *

"Do you think we will always be friends?" Sokka asked Zuko as they walked away from the soccer field, Ursa a few feet behind them. She could not help but smiled at the two boys, their matching soccer uniforms on with their little bags over their shoulders. She pulled her camera out of her bag, snapping a shot quickly.

"I think so… don't you?"

Sokka shrugged, "I hope so yeah."

"I mean…" He twisted his mouth, not sure what to say.

"I know we will be." Sokka said with much confidence, "I mean why would we not be?"

"Yeah! What could possibly happen that would ruin it?"

"There could be a girl or something."

Zuko groaned, rolling his eyes, "Oh right… girls…"

"Well then we will never let a girl get between us, how does that sound?"

"Deal." Zuko grinned, extending his hand to his friend. Sokka took it, shaking it with much enthusiasm. "Best friends forever!"


	2. Chapter 2

**I know this is short… but you know they're 7… not much is going on. Lol. **

"Do you ever wanna get married Zuko?"

Zuko blinked sleepily, looking across the small tent at Sokka. "What do you mean?"

Sokka sat up in his sleeping bag, "You know get married... to a girl."

Zuko rubbed his eyes, "Well yeah. I would be ok with that. Although you don't have to marry a girl, you know?"

"Waaahhh?"

Zuko nodded, "Remember my cousin Lu Ten? The one you meet during the summer?"

"What about him?"

"He's gay."

"What's gay?"

"Well you know how girls usually like boys, and boys like girls, right?" Sokka nodded, laying back down in his sleeping bag. "Well boys can like other boys and can marry them."

"And that is gay?"

"Yeah!"

Sokka thought about it for a long second, biting his lip. "We should be gay when he get older."

"It would be so much fun!" Zuko laughed, "We could have a house, and a dog and watch cartoons all day!"

"With no stupid girls ruining things!"

"YEAH!" Zuko laid back in his sleeping back, a large smile on his face. "But we would kiss girls though, of course."

"Oh of course."

The boys both jumped as a loud clap of thunder rattled the world around them. Zuko was grateful that they had moved their camping trip into the parlor. The little yellow tent by the fire place that had been lit before they turned in for the night. It was his mom's idea and it was a great one.

"It's really coming down out there, isn't it?" Sokka mumbled, pulling his sleeping bag closer to him. Zuko reached over and flicked on the electric lantern that was between them. "I'm not scared, are you?"

Zuko shook his head, sitting up in his sleeping bag again. "Not at all." His eyes were wide with fear as he said this though.

The ballroom was filled with a sharp white flash, then a loud boom of thunder. Zuko squeaked in fear, making Sokka jump as well. The front flap of the tent flew open, a little raven haired girl in a red nightgown crawling though the opening. "Azula?"

She wined a little bit, crawling her way to Sokka in his sleeping bag. She slipped into the bag with him, wrapping her small arms around him as she shook from fear. Sokka petted her head, a from on his face, "Scared?"

She nodded, her face in his shirt as she cuddled closer to him.

Zuko rolled his eyes lightly, shaking his head, "What a baby."

There was another flash and another boom, making all three of them scream for a second. Auzla just tightened her grip on Sokka, shaking like crazy.

"It's ok." Sokka told her, her arms around her shoulders now. "We are safe inside."

Zuko laid down in his sleeping bag, pressing his stuffed cat owl tightly to his chest. "We are safe inside." he repeated, to both them and himself.

Ursa found her daughter's bed empty the next morning. She frowned, walking into the parlor and to the little yellow tent by the fire place. She opened it flap on the end and looked in, a large smile on her face when she saw them.

All three of the children had stuffed themselves into one sleeping bag, the boys on each side with Azula between them. Azula's arms were wrapped around Sokka's neck, Zuko's face burrid in her hair with his hands tucked under his chin. What really made her smile was Sokka's tan arms holding her daughter close to him in a comforting manner.

Ursa just shook her head, crawling into the tent to wake the children.

They are French toast that morning, with powdered sugar just like the boys liked it. Azula had always took syrup on her's before, but since Sokka started eating breakfast with them she only wanted her food like his. It always made Ursa smile to watch Azula with the young man who was a regular guest at their home now.

It was obvious that Azula was totally taken with him buy the way she was always with him, by the way that she copied every move that Sokka made and epically by the way that that Azula would never take her eyes off him. The childish crush just made Ursa giggle, reminding her of her own crush as a girl.

"What do you wanna do today?" Zuko asked his friend, his mouth stuffed with French toast.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Zuko." Ursa scolded, sitting down at the breakfast table with her tea.

He frowned a little bit and swallowed his food, repeating his question to Sokka. It was raining that day, left over from the thunderstorm last night. So doing anything outside was simply not an option. Sokka had no ideas of his own, so they turned to Ursa. She was always filled with good ideas after all.

They gathered all the sheets they could find in the house, almost 50 of them in all sizes and colors. Thin blankets were added to the pile, along with some tape, string and pillows. About an hour later the room that was the library in was now the home to the most amazing fort that the children had ever seen.

They each had their own rooms and everything, which they filled with pillows and toys, making it really feel like home. Ursa was taking pictures as they played, maneuvering around the fort awkwardly on her hands and knees.

They had made a room for Katara as well. With a quick call from Sokka to home Katara and Hakoda both came over, allowing the little girl to join in on their playing. Hakoda and Ursa laughed as the sounds of the children giggling filled the house. They both took pictures here and there of the kids playing and interacting.

"They are so sweet." Ursa told her friend with a smile.

"They are. You know my mother and I were talking about how glad we were that Sokka has fit in at the new school."

"Why wouldn't he?" She asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"Well..." He laughed a little bit, "Expensive private school, kid on a scholarship with a blue collar dad." He shrugged, "I was just a bit concerned."

Ursa nodded, "I see." She glanced over at him, "I don't care about that, and I know for a fact that Zuko and Azula don't give a damn about that."

Hakoda just smiled over at him, "And you will never know how much I appreciate that."

"Has Sokka had issues?" She mumbled quietly, trying not to let the children hear the conversation.

Hakoda frowned, glancing over at her, "Some kids have said something, calling him a poor kid and what not."

She sighed sadly, a heavy frown on her face, "I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

He just shrugged, "It's nothing that he can't handle." Hakoda smiled over at her. "The girls will be in class with one another next year you know?"

"They will. I hope they get along alright."

"That makes two of us." She smiled.

* * *

Sokka didn't understand firebending, he was actually confused by it to be truthful. He had no idea how fire just seemed to erupt from clenched fists and kicked heels. He was especially in awe when Azula did it. He had no idea how someone so tiny could make something so hot and so large. It seemed to defy logic. He would be lying if he said he was not a bit jealous.

"Dose it ever hurt?" Sokka asked Zuko.

Zuko's eyes were out on the practice floor of the dojo as they both watched Azula's fire bending class. Zuko's class had been before her's, which is why Zuko had asked Sokka to come. Azula was more advanced that Zuko, despite being two years younger, so she was in the class above him.

Zuko thought about his friend's question, "For some reason you will never be hurt by your own fire, only some one else."

"How does that work?" Sokka raised his eye brow.

Zuko just shrugged, "I'm not really sure."

"Because the fire comes from you." The deep, strong voice said from next to Zuko. The two boys both looked over at Ozai Kasai, their eyes wide. "Your body will never be hurt by the fire because the fire is an extension of yourself."

"Is that why my fire never feels hot to me?" Zuko asked his father.

"That would be why." His eyes were locked on his daughters out on the floor, her little fists and legs following the form that the teachers were telling her along side some children who were twice her age. "As you get older it will get a little hotter, you will likely be able to feel it as time goes along."

"Do you really think I will be that good one day?" Zuko asked his father with a wide smile.

"I would hope so." Ozai mumbled, "I would just be worried about keeping up with your sister at this point in time."

Sokka's heart sank as he saw the look on Zuko's face, his friend's gold eyes looking back out to her sister. Sokka did not care much for Ozai. He had only been around the man a hand full of times, and each time it was painfully apparent that Azula was his favorite child. Just now while Zuko had been working with his class Oazi seemed more interested in his paper work and cell phone than what Zuko was doing. It was the other way around now though. His work was set aside, his cell phone put away, his attention totally on his tiny daughter.

"You know I'm jealous." Sokka told Zuko, nudging him a bit.

"Huh?"

Sokka nodded, "I've always wanted to be a bender like my sister, or like you and Azula."

Zuko smiled a little bit at his friend, "Thanks."

The class ended, prompting Azula to run to Sokka, asking if her had seen her fire bending. He just laughed, telling her that he had. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug.

Azula rode on Sokka's back, her arms locked around his neck as they went out to the car, Zuko following them with his and Azula's bags on his shoulders. "You both did really good." Sokka told his friend with a smile.

"You think?" Zuko grinned over at him.

"I do, you are both really cool when you bend."

Azula blushed a little bit, burring her face into his neck happily.

None of the children saw the frown on Ozai's face when he saw the sign of affection from his daughter directed at this boy. He did not like Sokka hanging around as much as he did, but his wife seemed to be set on it. He opened the trunk, putting his bags in it before helping Zuko with the bags that he had.

"Is it time to go home?" Zuko asked his father, his eyes wide.

Ozai checked his phone, looking down at his son for a moment, "It is."

Zuko nodded slowly, a frown on his face, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?" Ozai mumbled, looking over as Sokka and Azula were getting into the back of the car.

Zuko shrugged, looking away. "It's nothing." He whispered as he went to get in the car.

Ozai rolled his eyes as he looked away, going to get into the car with the children.


End file.
